Recluse
by Levan
Summary: Ichigo scowled. "It's reality, Rukia. Deal with it." The petite Shinigami scowled like there was no tomorrow, and blatantly barged into the house she wished she belonged.


"You know, I never felt loved. Not one bit."

Ichigo turned to Rukia's direction, her phrase casting out a very suspicious thought. "What?"

"Ever since I was in the manor… I've always thought that I was something I wasn't, really."

_Seriously, what the hell?_

In this current, precarious matter, complaining is not the best topic to talk about. There were practically Hollows surrounding them, their bloodshot eyes staring at them hungrily, and masked mouths gaped open and ready to take a chunk.

"Concentrate, Rukia!" Ichigo demanded the obstinate Shinigami. She lowered her head and formed a frown along her pale lips. A Hollow took the opportunity to pounce at her while she was off guard, and Ichigo, frustrated by Rukia's sudden change in her mood, took lead and sliced its head clean off. Unfortunately he took a bite at his shoulder as another bloodthirsty Hollow gnawed off of him opposite of his direction.

Disgruntled, he fired an unnecessary Getsuga Tenshou on the pest and it sliced it right in half. The beam wildly flew to a small van and it erupted into flames. "Damn it!" Ichigo cursed as he gazed upon the blazing inferno that he was responsible with. "Rukia, what the hell are you doing?"

When his perspective returned to the Shinigami, her eyes were still cast downward and her Zanpakuto was hanging loosely on her arms, making her vulnerable for any attack. Ichigo grunted and worked himself to take care of all the Hollows, all the while keeping Rukia safe from them.

Minutes passed and finally Ichigo was able to wipe out the whole group. He turned his attention to Rukia and began to scowl. It was then that Rukia opened her lips.

"Ichigo…"

"Wow, and _now_ she talks! What the heck were you doing back there? You could've gotten us killed!"

Rukia tilted her head at his direction, a enraged expression fuming from her features. "Shut up, Ichigo. I just remembered something, that's all."

"And I'm supposed to figure it out by myself, huh?"

"I was trying to tell you before," Rukia implied, "but you weren't listening."

Ichigo raised a brow. "What? You think I could listen clearly with those Hollows ready to pounce at us?"

"Oh what's the point in all of this anyway!" She growled at him before turning to her Gigai. Rukia hurriedly climbed back into it while Ichigo followed after. Rukia continued. "You wouldn't care, anyway."

Ichigo sighed, dumbfounded by her sudden change in mood. He never expected her to actually lose her concentration in the middle of a fight. Perhaps, what she remembered was too much for her to shove out of her mind for even just a while. "Come on, let's go back. Tell me on the way."

Rukia didn't answer. Ichigo took hold of her shoulder and tried as much as possible to ease her worry – it was probably better if they went home to rest for a moment and think her dilemma through.

The walk or one might say, stroll, was going a bit too slow. The silence that dominated over them disturbed the two quite a lot. There was sometimes a moment's gaze by Rukia, but eventually she would always turn her head away and stare at something else, like the dim streetlights or the houses that crowded the area. Ichigo was perplexed by her stern expression – she seemed so off from her usual mood this time. It had never happened before. It definitely piqued his interest though.

"So…" Ichigo finally spat out, "Tell me about it. What's the matter?"

She hesitated at first, trying to lock her lips, but then she replied. "When I reincarnated into Soul Society, I had a sister – her name was Hisana. She looked like me, except her hair was longer, and she was certainly older. I couldn't remember much about her since I was just an infant then when she left me in Rukongai."

Ichigo listened attentively at her story and kept up with her pace. "She left you alone while you were just little?"

"Yes, I guess so. At least, that's what Nii-sama told me. She left me because she couldn't take care of me, and… I understand her decision well. Even I would've done the same thing."

"I think I've seen her before… Byakuya was praying at some altar back at your manor with a picture of her on it. I thought she was you, but I knew she looked at least a bit different."

"Yes. Nii-sama told me that he took her in, and, well, though it was pretty much prohibited, he fell in love with her, a commoner."

"In… love?" Ichigo began to grow incredulous by what she was telling him. "How could that heartless man ever fall in love?"

Rukia delivered a straight punch at his gut before answering. "Don't mock Nii-sama like that, Ichigo. I think it's romantic that he fell in love to someone he wasn't allowed to, and even took her in and welcomed her as a Kuchiki."

Ichigo rubbed his stomach, easing down the pain. "Alright, alright. I get it now. You didn't need to punch me like that."

She ignored his complaint and continued her story. "During her time as the head mistress of the Kuchiki clan, I was somewhere else in Rukongai… growing up in a place where I knew I didn't belong. My sister tried to find me but she failed to. Eventually she had a disease and died without even being able to take a simple glimpse at me, all grown up. But still… I guess I never am fated to be with my true family after all."

Ichigo stopped his slight tantrums, dumbstruck by her statement. "You… didn't see your sister, ever?"

"I guess I didn't," she said, a single tear falling from her eye. She wiped her face and continued. "Sorry, Ichigo. I guess I'm just caught up with all of this rubbish. We better get going. It's getting dark and your dad would kill you if you miss your curfew."

She rushed her pace and Ichigo followed. The orange-dipped sky slowly evolved into a black, cosmic space – stars appeared above the horizon and the moonlight skidded over them, its awry feeling seeming to claw at their conversation. Rukia suddenly stopped midway, catching Ichigo's attention.

"What's the matter now-"

Rukia embraced his neck, the petite Shinigami reaching out with all of her might. "Thanks for listening, Ichigo," she whispered in his ears before kissing him at the cheek. Rukia released him with an expression filled with ridicule as Ichigo's cheeks started to turn red. She ran and he followed after her.

When they had arrived at Ichigo's street, they were welcomed by two little girls standing by the door, waving at them. "Ichigo! Rukia! Dinner's ready!" Yuzu called. The raven-haired girl named Karin stood by her and added, "Come on, Ichigo. We don't have all day."

"We're coming!" Ichigo responded with slight irritation. He believed he didn't need to be called since he was going there anyway.

A tall man appeared behind them and greeted the two with a grin. "Glad to see you two getting along just fine," Isshin said, rubbing the back of his head. "Maybe you two should start a relationship or something-"

Isshin was interrupted and slammed to the ground by a kick to the head – the disgraced Ichigo stood there with his cheeks glowing red as before, his right leg stomping against Isshin's abdomen. "Shut the hell up old man. I don't want to hear anything from you!"

A soft chuckle left Rukia's lips, catching his attention. He stared at her for a moment before flashing a smile at her now jovial mood. "Well, that's a start."

"As far as I'm concerned, stomping on your father's stomach isn't exactly a way of father and son bonding," Rukia remarked. Isshin slowly crept away with Yuzu and Karin, sensing a small argument erupting.

"At least I have a family, unlike you!" Ichigo retorted mockingly.

"What?"

Ichigo scowled. "It's reality, Rukia. Deal with it." The petite Shinigami scowled like there was no tomorrow, and blatantly barged into the house she wished she belonged.

Ichigo stood along the doorway and breathed out a sigh, all the while smiling.

_You do have a family, Rukia. Not just Byakuya, but us. The Kurosaki's._

And truly, he was right.

* * *

**A/N**: I really need some improvement on describing the characters' interactions. I apologize for the mishap. x_x


End file.
